The invention relates to a potentiometer, in particular for an electrical gas pedal in motor vehicles.
In so-called electrical gas pedals such potentiometer serve to control a servo-motor which controls the fuel-air mixture being supplied to the internal combustion engine or the vehicle motor, like when actuating the otherwise customary gas pedal. The servo-motor is controlled corresponding to the control voltage picked off from the potentiometer, thus effecting an increase or reduction of the speed in the internal combustion engine.
In many cases, in particular in a motor vehicle with such an electrical gas pedal it is required to actuate electrical switches for triggering certain functions in dependency from the control voltage being fed to the servo-motor, for example, in the internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle an idle switch, safety switch, full load switch, kick-down switch, throttle valve switch and other switches, for example, for the gas pump, ignition etc., as well as a plurality of control switches. Hitherto, such switch functions were performed by so-called micro switches which are switched on or off through the potentiometer. The assembly effort required for the microswitches to be installed separately from the potentiometer is considerable. Furthermore considerable tolerances in the association from the time switching point and the control voltage picked off from the potentiometer are generated.